Some non-specific therapies are administered on their own, while others are used as adjutants, which means they are used to supplement a main treatment such as a cancer vaccine. A few therapies are used in both ways, depending on the form of cancer being treated.

• Cytokines are chemicals produced by certain immune cells that play an important role in the growth and activity of other immune cells. They are divided into interleukins, which speed up growth and division of immune cells, and interferons, which aid the body in resisting cancer as well as viral infections.

• Immune checkpoint inhibitors help the immune system identify cancer cells that use certain proteins to evade detection.

• Immunomodulating drugs (IMiDs) such as thalidomide, lenalidomide and pomalidomide appear to give a general boost to the immune system, although at present it's not known exactly how they work.

• Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is a germ that triggers the immune system by infecting tissue, although it doesn't present a threat of serious disease. BCG is one of the earliest forms of immunotherapy for cancer.

Issels® Uses both Targeted and Non-Specific Immunotherapy

As a leader in the field of immunotherapy for cancer, Issels® uses advanced methods such as vaccines and LAK cells in our individually tailored treatment protocols. Contact us to learn more about how immunotherapy may be the answer for you.

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Monoclonal Antibodies (MAbs) – The Role They Play In Cancer Immunotherapy

Just as there are many different types of antigens, there are many types of cancers. MAbs have been shown to be effective against certain types of cancer. The challenge has been that the MAbs must be tailored to go after the right antigen, and that is causing a delay in using this treatment for all types of cancer.

Immunotherapy for cancer involves complex interactions, but they generally fall into one of two categories. Some treatments make cancer cells more identifiable to your immune system. Others boost your system's immune response, which includes actions such as blocking certain factors that enable growth of a tumor. Our Issels® Centers have been successfully using cancer with immunotherapy for more than 60 years. Visit our website to read and watch testimonials from patients of all ages who have benefited from our personalized non-toxic treatments.